World Federation of Trade Unions
possibly 70 million in 95 countries (2009) |full_name= World Federation of Trade Unions |native_name= |image= |founded= October 3, 1945 |current= |head= |dissolved_date= |dissolved_state= |merged_into= |office= Athens, Greece |people= M. Shaban Assouz (president) George Mavrikos (general secretary) |website= www.wftucentral.org |footnotes= }} The World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU) was established in 1945 to replace the International Federation of Trade Unions. Its mission was to bring together trade unions across the world in a single international organization, much like the United Nations. After a number of Western trade unions left it in 1949, as a result of disputes over support for the Marshall Plan, to form the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions, the WFTU was made up primarily of unions affiliated with or sympathetic to Communist parties. The WFTU was regarded as a Soviet front organization.Richard Felix Staar, Foreign policies of the Soviet Union, Hoover Press, 1991, ISBN 0817991026, p.84Strategic Intelligence, Volume 1. Loch K. Johnson. p.42 A number of those unions, including those from Yugoslavia and China, left later when their governments had ideological differences with the Soviet Union. History Originally founded as an international trade union bringing together trade union from different countries, it quickly apparent that Soviets controlled key posts, leading to exits by Western trade unions. WFTU was one of the most active Soviet front organizations.Europe since 1945: an encyclopedia, Volume 1. Bernard A. Cook. p. 211Foreign policies of the Soviet Union. Richard Felix Staar. p. 84Foreign policies of the Soviet Union. Richard Felix Staar. p. 79 The purpose was to consolidate world's trade unions under Soviet control, support strikes in non-communist countries, and serve as a disinformation outlet.A century of spies: intelligence in the twentieth century. Jeffrey T. Richelson. p. 252 Other similar Soviet front organizations included World Peace Council, Women's International Democratic Federation, International Organization of Journalists, International Association of Democratic Lawyers, Christian Peace Conference, International Federation of Resistance Fighters, World Federation of Scientific Workers, World Federation of Democratic Youth, World Congress of Doctors, and International Radio and TV Organization.Europe since 1945: an encyclopedia, Volume 1. Bernard A. Cook. p 212A century of spies: intelligence in the twentieth century. Jeffrey T. Richelson. p. 252 The WFTU has declined precipitously in the past twenty years since the fall of the communist regimes in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, with many of its former constituent unions joining the ICFTU. In January 2006 it moved its headquarters from Prague, Czech Republic to Athens, Greece and now focuses on organizing regional federations of unions in the Third World, campaigning against imperialism, racism, poverty, environmental degradation and exploitation of workers under capitalism and in defense of full employment, social security, health protection, and trade union rights. The WFTU continues to devote much of its energy to organizing conferences, issuing statements and producing educational materials. As part of its efforts to advance its international agenda, the WFTU develops working partnerships with national and industrial trade unions worldwide as well as with a number of international and regional trade union organizations including the Organization of African Trade Union Unity (OATUU), the International Confederation of Arab Trade Unions (ICATU), the Permanent Congress of Trade Union Unity of Latin America (CPUSTAL), and the General Federation of Trade Unions of CIS. The WFTU holds consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations, the ILO, UNESCO, FAO, and other UN agencies. It maintains permanent missions in New York, Geneva, and Rome. The following Trade Unions Internationals are constituted within the WFTU: * Trade Unions International of Agriculture, Food, Commerce, Textile, and Allied Industries * Trade Unions International of Public and Allied Employees * Trade Unions International of Energy, Metal, Chemical, Oil and Allied Industries * Trade Unions International of Transport Workers * Trade Unions International of Building, Wood and Building Materials Industries * World Federation of Teachers Unions According to the book Shadow world: resurgent Russia, the global new left, and radical Islam, Russia has continued to use the organization to advance Russian interests.Shadow world: resurgent Russia, the global new left, and radical Islam, Robert W. Chandler, p. 3. See also * Active measures * International Association of Democratic Lawyers * International Organization of Journalists * International Union of Students * List of federations of trade unions * List of trade unions * Soviet-run peace movements in the West * World Federation of Democratic Youth References External links .]] * World Federation of Trade Unions Web Site * Recollections of the WFTU's activities in 1968 Category:World Federation of Trade Unions Category:1945 establishments Category:Organizations based in Czechoslovakia Category:Foreign relations of the Soviet Union Category:Front organizations Category:Covert organizations Category:Soviet intelligence agencies Category:Russian intelligence agencies Category:KGB Category:Communist propaganda Category:Propaganda of the Soviet Union Category:Cold War espionage de:Weltgewerkschaftsbund es:Federación Sindical Mundial fi:Maailman ammattiyhdistysten liitto fr:Fédération syndicale mondiale ja:世界労働組合連盟 pl:Światowa Federacja Związków Zawodowych ru:Всемирная федерация профсоюзов tr:Dünya İşçi Sendikaları Federasyonu uk:Всесвітня федерація профспілок